Operating device for a vehicle

ABSTRACT

An operating device ( 1 ) for a vehicle, such as an airplane or a bus, comprises a board ( 4 ) adapted to carry electronic circuits, and at least two catch hooks ( 5 ) receiving the board ( 4 ) between them. Each of the catch hooks ( 5 ) has a contact portion ( 7 ) retaining the board ( 4 ) and a base part ( 6 ) supporting the contact portion ( 7 ). The base parts ( 6 ) of the catch hooks ( 5 ) face each other, and the contact portions ( 7 ) face away from each other. When the board ( 4 ) is loaded, the catch hooks ( 5 ) are pressed towards the respectively other catch hook which results in that the catch hooks ( 5 ) lean more and more firmly against the board ( 4 ) when force is induced onto the board ( 4 ).

[0001] The invention relates to an operating device, particularly for vehicles, such as, for example, airplanes or buses, and particularly relates to an operating device comprising a board, such as a printed circuit board carrying the electronics, the board being fastened by means of a special catch connection.

[0002] Almost all means of transport are equipped with key buttons as operating devices for drive functions or service functions. Typically, these key buttons were composed of a movable front panel integrated into the interior covering panels and a switching portion located behind it and being operable by means of the front panel, which is typically arranged directly on a printed circuit board so that the switching information can be directly transmitted to a monitor or evaluation circuit.

[0003] A problem with this arrangement is that the printed circuit board has to take up the force applied by the key button. This requires a special fastening of the printed circuit board. For the purposes of exchange and repair, the fastening of the printed circuit board should be releasable.

[0004] So far, fastenings with catch hooks have existed that first bend apart upon insertion of the printed circuit board and move back again when the printed circuit board has reached a final position, so that the printed circuit board is locked into place. Typically, these catch hooks are arranged at the border of the printed circuit board and receive the latter between them.

[0005] Each catch hook consists of a flexible base part permitting the bending-apart and a contact portion arranged at the end of the base part, for retaining the printed circuit board. The contact portion engages over the border of the printed circuit board and is supported there to secure the printed circuit board against pressure. Up from a certain force acting upon the printed circuit board, caused by a key button, for example, the connection with the conventional catch hook is undone by the corresponding torque, since the catch hooks bent outward so far until they do no longer engage over the printed circuit board. Then, the printed circuit board is no longer secured and is displaced out of its position by a further induction of force, which leads to an undesired failure of the key buttons.

[0006] It is the object of the invention to provide an operating device for a vehicle with an improved fastening of the board.

[0007] In order to solve this object, the invention suggests an operating device for vehicles, being provided with

[0008] a board, and

[0009] at least two encompassing elements receiving the board between them, each of which comprises a contact portion retaining the board and a base part supporting the contact portion.

[0010] In this operating device, it is provided, according to the invention,

[0011] that at least one of the encompassing elements is configured as an elastic catch hook, and

[0012] that the contact portion of the at least one catch hook is arranged on that side of its base part that faces away from the other encompassing element, wherein, upon the exertion of force upon the board in the direction of the contact portion of the at least one catch hook, the latter is movable towards the encompassing element.

[0013] The invention suggests an operating device in which at least one encompassing element is configured as an elastically bendable catch hook the base part of which faces the opposed encompassing element and the contact portion of which faces away from the opposed encompassing element. When the board is loaded in the direction of the normal line of the board and onto the contact portions of the encompassing element or catch hook, a torque is exerted onto the at least one catch hook in the direction of the encompassing element. This results in that the catch hook is pressed even more strongly onto the board when loaded. This, in turn, results in that the board cannot be released out of between the catch hook and the encompassing element that has, in this case, a substantially rigid configuration, even in case of a very great force.

[0014] Preferably, an acute angle is formed between the contact portion and the base part so that the contact portion is supported on the board with an edge and not with a surface. This facilitates the movement of the contact portion over the board when the latter is locked into place and increases the torque in case of loads acting upon the board.

[0015] Preferably, recesses are provided at the border of the board in which the catch hook and/or the encompassing member are arranged. This arrangement provides for a particularly stable fixing of the board.

[0016] Advantageously, the contact portion of the catch hook rises above the recesses in the board at two opposed recess borders so that the base part of the catch hook is able to move in the recess whereas the contact portion is supported on the board and holds the latter. As an alternative or in addition thereto, the contact portion rises above the border of the recess connecting the two afore-mentioned borders.

[0017] The board can be configured as a printed circuit board with or for electric and/or electronic circuits or components.

[0018] Preferably, the encompassing element is rigid as long as it is not configured as catch hook. The encompassing element can also extend over the entire lateral edge of the board or a part thereof.

[0019] Hereinafter, the embodiment is explained in detail with respect to the drawings. In the Figures:

[0020]FIG. 1 shows a top view of the operating device for a vehicle according to the invention

[0021]FIG. 2 shows a side view in section, and

[0022]FIG. 3 shows a rear view.

[0023] The operating device 1 for vehicles, such as airplanes or buses, shown in FIG. 1, has a panel 2 integrated into the interior fittings of the vehicle, and several key buttons 3 which are adapted to have different functions. In airplanes, these functions are typically the actuation of lights above the seats and the calling of flight attendants.

[0024] With FIG. 2, the function of the operating device 1 according to the invention is now explained. Behind the panel 2, a board 4 is held, which is a printed circuit board and carries circuits for detecting and evaluating the switching positions of the various key buttons 3. The board 4 is held by several opposed catch hooks 5 (FIG. 3) arranged at the longitudinal sides of the board 4. The number of the catch hooks 5 may be varied according to the length of the board 4 and according to the strength of the fastening. Preferably, at least four catch hooks 5 should be used. Each catch hook consists of a base part 6 fastened to the panel 2 and a contact portion 7 arranged at the end of the base part 6 facing away from the panel 2 and being supported on the side of the board 4 facing away from the panel 2. The length of the base part 6 is dimensioned such that, when the board 4 is supported on support ribs 8, the contact portions 7 press onto the board 4 and thus lock it between the support ribs 8 and the contact portions 7.

[0025] At the longitudinal sides of the board 4, recesses 9 are arranged through which the base parts 6 of the catch hooks 5 extend. Laterally, i.e., in longitudinal direction of the board 4, the contact portions 7 rise above the recesses 9 in order to thus exert a retaining pressure onto the board 4.

[0026] Now, the insertion of the board 4 will be described. Before the board 4 is inserted, the catch hooks 5 are in the position illustrated in FIG. 2. Upon pressing the board 4 into the operating device 1 in the direction of the panel 2, the border of the board 4 engages on the mutually facing parts of the contact portions 7 that laterally rise above the recess 9, which results in that the catch hooks bend apart. This is possible since, on the one hand, the base part 6 is flexible and, on the other hand, the just mentioned part of the contact portions 7 contacting the board 4 is beveled. Hence, upon progressive movement of the board 4 in the direction of the panel 2, the catch hooks 5 are pressed further apart, i.e., moved away from each other. The board 4 is moved until it is supported on the support ribs 8. When the board 4 has reached this position, it has passed the beveled inner parts of the contact portions 7 along which it has slid so that the catch hooks 5 are not pressed further outward. Because of the bias of the flexible base parts 6, the catch hooks 5 return into the position shown in FIG. 2, the contact portions now being supported on the rear side of the board 4 facing away from the panel 2 so that the board 4 is fixed between the support ribs 8 and the contact portions 7.

[0027] With the base part 6, the contact portions 7 form an acute angle, respectively, so that the contact portion 7 contacts the board 4 only with an edge or a relatively narrow surface. This facilitates the sliding of the contact portions 7 on the board 4 when the catch hooks 5 catch or snap in upon insertion of the board 4.

[0028] If now the passenger presses a key button 3, a force acts upon the board 4 in the direction of arrow A. In spite of this force, the board 4 has to stay in its position since otherwise, the operatability of the operating device 1 is no longer guaranteed. The force applied onto the board 4 by the key button 3 generates a resulting force in the catch hooks 5 in the direction of arrow B. Since the force induction into the catch hook is effected outside the neutral plane of the catch hook 5, namely at the supported edge of the contact portion 7, a torque in the direction of arrow C develops. The direction of this torque leads to that the catch hooks 5 contact the board 4 even more strongly upon the induction of force. Hence, the board 4 is held the faster the greater the force is that is exerted upon it. The strength of the exerted torque can be set via the distance of the edge of the contact portion 7 supported on the board 4 to the base part 6. The farther the edge is away from the base part 6, the greater the exerted torque will be.

[0029] If the board 4 is to be taken out of the operating device 1 for purposes of repair or exchange, the catch hooks 5 are bent apart until the contact portion 7 is located outside the board 4, which means that it does no longer exert pressure upon it. Then, the board 4 can be taken out in a simple manner.

[0030] The invention has been described above with respect to the use of at least one pair of catch hooks that are arranged at both sides of the board. It is also conceivable, however, that there is/are one or more catch hooks of the above-described kind at one border of the board only. At the opposed border of the board, the latter is encompassed by a rigid encompassing projection, for example, behind which the board is inserted (so as to extend obliquely) to be then locked with the catch hook(s) by pivoting. In doing so, the base part of each catch hook arranged on one side of the board faces the opposed board border or retaining point (e.g., encompassing projection), while its contact portion faces away from this board border. 

1. An operating device for a vehicle, comprising a board (4), and at least two encompassing elements receiving the board (4) between them, each of which comprises a contact portion (7) retaining the board (4) and a base part (6) supporting the contact portion (7), characterized in that at least one of the encompassing elements is configured as an elastic catch hook (5), and that the contact portion (7) of the at least one catch hook (5) is arranged on that side of its base part (6) that faces away from the other encompassing element, wherein, upon the exertion of force on the board (4) in the direction of the contact portion (7) of the at least one catch hook (5), the latter is movable towards the encompassing element.
 2. The operating device of claim 1, characterized in that the at least one catch hook (5) has an acute angle between its contact portion (7) and its base part (6).
 3. The operating device of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base part (6) of the at least one catch hook (5) is elastically bendable.
 4. The operating device of one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a recess (9) for the at least one catch hook (5) is provided in the board (4) at the border.
 5. The operating device of claim 4, characterized in that the contact portion (7) of the catch hook (5) rises above the recess (9) in the board (4) at two opposed borders of the recess (9) and/or at the border of the recess (9) connecting these two borders.
 6. The operating device of one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the board (4) is a printed circuit board for electric and/or electronic circuits and/or components.
 7. The operating device of one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the at least two encompassing elements are configured as elastic catch hooks (5), respectively, and that the base parts (6) of the catch hooks (5) face each other and the contact portions (7) face away from each other, each catch hook (5) experiencing a torque in the direction of the respectively other catch hook (5) when the board (4) is loaded. 